KUALA LUMPUR: The Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah reminded the public to remain vigilant following the recent monkeypox outbreak.
She advised the people to practice good personal hygiene at all times, especially for children.
"Although Covid-19 has reached the endemic phase, other diseases are still around, so it is our duty to take care of ourselves," she said in a short speech after officiating the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Sejahtera Clinic.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease caused by an 'orthopoxvirus' which is transmitted to humans through bites (of infected animals) or direct contact with the blood of animals or body fluids of the infected animals.
The countries that have been affected so far by the monkeypox virus were Canada, Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, The United Kingdom, The United States, Spain, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium and Italy.
Earlier, Her Majesty was accompanied by IIUM rector Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Dzulkifli Abdul Razak and IIUM president Tan Sri Dr Mohd Daud Bakar during the visit to the clinic.
The clinic was established in 1990 at the Petaling Jaya Campus and later was set up at the Gombak Campus in 1996.
IIUM chief medical officer Dr Siti Masitah Jamaludin said the clinic offered low-cost services to students, staff, their families as well as pensioners.
"We also have a lot of international students here as it is pricey for them to seek treatment elsewhere.
"In this Sejahtera Clinic we charge them with the same minimum fee as local students," she said.
Dr Siti Masitah said the clinic would be accessible to the public within three to four months with a nominal fee as well.
The clinic is now able to receive additional patient capacity and has a total of six consultation and treatment rooms with a clinical laboratory, pharmacy, radiology and dental treatment facilities.